Margaret Lawn is not going to let a brain cancer diagnosis that came in December 2020 stop her from competing in this year's Beach to Brother trail running festival on November 14.
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The inspiring 68-year-old will walk five kilometres from the start of the 10-kilometre course to the bottom of North Brother Mountain all in the aim of raising awareness and funds for the Cancer Council.
She admits the last 12 months has been a challenge.
"It's really difficult to be told you've got a disease that's going to kill you basically," she told the Port News.
"Trying to work your way out of that like I've been trying to do has been challenging, but it encourages me to keep going as well.
"My motivation is to try and overcome that diagnosis as something that's going to stop me from doing things. I know that it's not going to work forever, but my motivation is to get myself healthier to support a really good cause."
Being a local event which has the backing of the Cancer Council made it an easy decision to sign up even if she concedes she is a little bit "mad".
"It's a chance to combine my love of running with supporting the cancer council," she said.
"I signed up with a team formed by Belinda Johnson and Peta Alexopoulos and I have my own supporters who have donated money as well. The idea is to raise as much money as we can."
And when she reaches the end of the five-kilometre route to the bottom of the mountain, Ms Lawn can afford a fist pump.
The regular trips up and down the Doctor's Walk in Port Macquarie will have been worth it. It's been around a decade in the making.
"It wasn't until I got involved in running seven or eight years ago, enjoyed it and kept going and going and going until I got to the wall that said you're not going anymore," she said.
"So it certainly will be a bit of a victory for me to get to the end of the five kays."
My motivation is to try and overcome that diagnosis as something that's going to stop me from doing things. I know that it's not going to work forever, but my motivation is to get myself healthier to support a really good cause.
- Margaret Lawn
While some people look to her for inspiration, she looks at those same people - including her coaches - for the same level of inspiration.
"There are so many people who are doing so well whereas I look at myself as being pretty average and they encourage me as well as my coaches Belinda and Ben," she said.
"People - particularly in my training group for triathlon - have been making sure they tell me I've made a difference to them as well and that's really encouraging."
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